Government workers

Any other government workers or ex govt here?
I have a permanent govt job but after 10 years I am feeling like its not going to get me to where I want to go. Promotions are hard to come by and its quite boring.
I would like to start a business on the side or even work for a wage on the side e.g. evenings weekends to gain exposure to business, sales etc. In something associated with business that can lead to growth opportunities.
I am not ready to throw in a secure, well paid (for what I actually have to do) job yet but I would like to expand my horizons.
Has anyone or is anyone in the public service for a long time and has started up a side business, or other form of side income? How did it go? Any ideas?
Looking to take the first step.
Thank you for your advice.

 

Does your contract allow you to operate a business on the side? For example, a police officer may not have a secondary employment unless it was approved.

 

Sounds like a pretty common scenario - people getting sick of their job and wanting to start up a side business.

I have to say though, its usually better to have a specific idea/product/area of expertise in mind and then deciding to turn it into a business, rather than the other way around.

 

It should allow external employment no problem unless there is a conflict of interest which is unlikely as we don't have anything much to do with the private sector.
I imagine a business would be the same as long as you don't do it at work and no COI. I know people get into network marketing and that's fine even selling at work as long as discretely.

 

I agree 100% I am just not sure of what that is yet so I thought maybe working in retail or sales could help me discover that.

 

Best to ensure contract allows secondary employment and disclosure is preferred.

 

It does

 

Cool. Start thinking.

 

Start you own lawn mowing business?

 

Something that uses verbal skills and intellect might play more to my strengths

 

Hi
Does your department make you do the Code of Conduct training each year? They seem to bring in more restrictions each year. Where I work, the term COI covers just about everything. It is up to your manager how they perceive what you are wanting to do - they can use rather bizarre reasons to prevent you if they want to. Unfortunately once you declare a legitimate business and they instruct you that it breaches the Code, then if you proceed, they will be onto it.

 

I was going to sell my kid's Pokemon cards on eBay except they collected them from home here recently.

 

You're in a great position to get established and research what you want to do. You can be on here chatting and also googling future job/business prospects while still receiving an income
And take advantage of time owed and long service etc once you get closer. Plus use up those sickies, you are entitled to them!

Pick up work before after and weekends to get a feel for other areas.

 

I know a guy that works in the tax office, he takes his own laptop on with its on internet connection so he can trade shares while at work.

 

That's what i want to do although it's not as cruisy as you think. If i take advantage it could cause problems. However it is still not too intense.

 

Ex govt employee here.

Didn't like it at all - moved across a couple of departments and worked in different areas. Found it boring - spent most my time in useless meetings doing useless work. Granted - there's some great jobs out there but I just didn't enjoy my time at all.

It was the driver for becoming self employed - haven't looked back since. Could never work for the man again.

Cheers

Jamie

 

You must be doing it wrong

Just slowly ease back and offload work to others

 

I've been in state government for coming up to 14 years, full time permanent employee, and I started up a side business. In my case it's teaching the flute.

For me it's ideal. My boss was fine with it - I filled in the appropriate forms to declare it to HR, and I don't do anything stupid like surf the internet on work time around business matters, whether they be small business related (eg. ATO, compliance type stuff) or specific to my business (teaching a musical instrument). My boss is also fine with the hours I wanted to work - 7am to 3pm, 5 days a week. That way I get home early enough to teach the youngest ones (lessons start at 4pm and go through until 7pm, three days a week).

I find it's really satisfying - it's great to be actively back in the music 'scene'. Even though it's not performing, I do get a lot of satisfaction out of teaching, in a different but related sense. It's easy to do from home, our front room (the 'formal lounge/dining room' of the early 1990s builds) works perfectly as my teaching space, and has enough room for my piano, which I inherited from my maternal grandmother.

It took a little while to build up regular students, but after about twelve months I had a fully booked calendar, and it's stayed that way. I now have more people interested than I can accommodate, so I have to be careful and make sure I maintain those boundaries, otherwise I'd be teaching seven days a week, and my hubby would feel sorely neglected!

The money is nice, but as I limit myself to 12 students, it doesn't replace a full time income. It also tends to be seasonal, as I do have students who suspend lessons over school holidays etc, so it's not a regular amount set in stone.

As a side-line to teaching, I do also hire out flutes - at the moment I'm hiring out five flutes to different people (I teach four of them, the fifth is a child I just couldn't fit into my schedule and learns with someone else). This is nice but doesn't bring in the big bucks, as the annual flute service probably takes about 90% of the money I earn from each hire, but it is useful in other ways.

 

Hi @Whitecat I was a police offer for a few years and found the pay structure prohibitive. You are not rewarded for the work you do finanancially and to the contrary given more work as you "will do the job right".

Have been in sales now for just over 3 years and am already at a pay level that would be 15 years off in the police. If you are keen to do sales, love a challenge and and are dedicated to personal improvement I can highly recommend it.

 

That's awesome and the sort of outcome I'm looking for